In a setback for former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Supreme Court on Friday said that it is not “inclined to entertain” the petition filed by him and asked him to move the concerned High Court for relief, reports PTI.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi asked senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Soren, to approach the High Court for his relief. Soren had moved the top court on Thursday.
Soren, who had to step down as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in the face of imminent arrest, in his plea before the Supreme Court had accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of arresting him as part of a “well-orchestrated conspiracy” by the Centre ahead of the general elections.
He pleaded before the top court to declare his arrest as unwarranted, arbitrary, and in violation of his fundamental rights.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand on Wednesday in a money laundering case linked to “illegal” possession of huge parcels of land and alleged association with the “land mafia”. A day later, a special PMLA court in Ranchi sent him to one-day judicial custody.
Following a seven-hour interrogation that led to Soren’s arrest, party loyalist and State Transport Minister Champai Soren was nominated by the JMM as his successor. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislative party leader Champai Soren is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand today at 12:15 PM. Champai Soren was nominated for the post following approval from Governor C P Radhakrishnan.